We'll Get You To Smile Again

Doctor Scott Laudon is at it again! This dentist in Anchorage has offered to give back to the great people who give their lives every day for this country. If you know anything about Anchorage, Alaska you know that its big for military personnel and families. With two big bases Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson there are thousands of military families living within the city limits of Anchorage. These bases are huge part of the economy for not just Anchorage but for the state of Alaska. Yes, Alaska has some big oil fields but the military bases in Anchorage brings the people.

With so many military veterans and families, Scott Laudon as well as a few other dentists in Anchorage have offer to give discounts for their services as a way of giving back to these amazing men and women of the armed forces. Any offer a dentists’ gives, comes directly out of their own pocket books. Most dental services are covered by insurances, medicaid or denali kid care, but offering this extra 10% discount, Scott can give a little bit back to these military families.

Help With Choosing A Decent Family Dentist In Anchorage

Many military personnel who come to Anchorage also bring with them their families. Some are new families, while others have more kids and maybe more established. Either way when a family moves to a new place, one of the main changes they experience is who their dental provider will be. Dentists come in all different styles and sometimes moving to a new location can be stressful with trying to find the best family dentists in Anchorage. For this reason its very important to rely on your instincts. When a family moves to a new place, they might not know other families or really know the area at all, so its difficult to ask for a reference when you do not know anyone to ask of.

Most good family dentist offer all of the general dentistry services. Check to see if they cater to families and also see what their dental office is like. Do they offer toys, tvs, and books for the kids? A family dentist will provide these items because they know kids need to be entertained while they wait.

Ask lots of questions! Its never a dumb question when it comes to your family and choosing the right family dentist. Remember this dentist will be with your kids for many years, or until you move away. Therefore, you want to get the best advice and services for your children in their early years of teeth and mouth development.

Choose wisely as there are many family dental clinics throughout Anchorage and the surrounding cities and the only way you can find the best is by searching for them and asking lots of questions. If you need help with finding a good dentist, check out Dr. Laudon’s family dental page for more information.

Alcan dental group an Anchorage Dentist now offers ZOOM teeth whitening services. This higher quality service runs upwards of $700 for the 1 hour procedure. Zoom is a teeth whitening system that helps whitening teeth by up to eight shades. ZOOM is a type of whitening that does not affect the enamel of teeth, nor will it cause sensitivity with the teeth or gums. Some of the bigger complaints with teeth whitening treatments are sensitivity issues after the gel is applied.

Why Do People Choose ZOOM Whitening Over Other Brands?

Zoom does not cause long term sensitivity

Zoom can whiten teeth by up to 8 shades in just one setting.

The procedure takes 1 hour and offers immediate results.

With ZOOM teeth whitening you can schedule an appointment and leave with whiter teeth. This is great if you have a job interview or maybe you are going on a date. In the past if you wanted whiter teeth you would have to deal with a long process of applying whitening strips or gels and then hope that your teeth looked better after an hour of waiting. After many disappointments you would begin to look for a better way. That is where ZOOM comes in. This process was created by a cosmetic dentist who wanted to offer the best teeth whitening service he could give to his patients. This also allowed the dentist to offer fast results.

The biggest problem with old forms of teeth whitening was the waiting process. ZOOM now offers the solution to these services.

Alcan Dental Group located in Anchorage Alaska now offers this service to any of its’ patients. Doctor Scott Laudon has been serving Anchorage as a general dentist since early 1992. As a general dentist they also offer cosmetic services, tooth extractions and just about any other service you would require from a dentist, even teeth whitening dentist in Anchorage is popular.

Among the many affliction man experiences in life, the small, but extremely painful toothache is one of the worst to experience. Tooth aches have been one of the diseases that have been recorded in many medical manuscripts since from the dawn of civilization. However, speculations of its cause range from the supernatural to the pure illogical.

As medical science advances and man’s understanding on how the human body works increased, the real cause of tooth aches is now understood in such a way that treatments to alleviate this painful condition is somewhat successful. Dentistry was no longer a profession filled with magic and superstition, but a real science that delves into the root cause of tooth aches. This article will tackle the main causes of tooth aches.
Five causes of tooth aches

Tooth Cavities

Cavities are “holes” on the tooth’s enamel, which is caused by the proliferation of bacteria. These types of bacteria eat away the white, protective covering of the tooth exposing its sensitive inner part, the dentin and the nerve. Once this is exposed, the person with cavities may experience excruciating pain.

Gum diseases and inflammations

Diseases of the gums such as gingivitis, which is the swelling of the gums that line the teeth, can also be the source of pain. Inflammation is often caused by bacteria in the plaque that builds up on the boundary of the tooth and the gums. Bleeding can also occur, which can aggravate the condition.

Dental Abscess

As bacteria builds up in the sides of the tooth and in the gums, abscess can accumulate inflaming the gums which in turn can cause pain. Abscesses in the teeth is often more painful as it usually erodes both the enamel and the dentin exposing the highly sensitive nerve. This is a serious type of tooth disease, which should be treated immediately upon detection.

Damaged tooth / Brittle teeth

Lack of calcium can cause teeth to become brittle. This often happens to women who are pregnant as the developing fetus “absorbs” the calcium from the mother’s bones and teeth. A break in the enamel can expose the “nerve” of the tooth, which causes the pain. Injuries on the tooth, as with those experienced by athletes such as boxers, can also cause tooth aches.

Symptom of a more serious illness

There are cases where tooth aches are a symptom of a more serious illness. There are reports where heart diseases such as angina can cause tooth ache to sufferers. Though this is not true in every case of angina, some patients of this heart disease do complain about recurring pain in their teeth. Other conditions such as ear infections, sinusitis and arthritis are also known causes of tooth ache.

In conclusion

Dentistry has evolved so much that tooth aches have become a temporary nuisance which can be easily treated. These five major causes of tooth aches can be easily prevented by regular checkups and proper hygiene. As medical advances continue to strive ever forward, incredible breakthroughs in dentistry will surely happen.

Gum disease is also known as periodontal disease or gingivitis. The ailment begins with growth of bacteria in the mouth and if not treated early, can result in tooth loss due to wearing away of the tissue that surrounds the teeth.

Medically, there is a difference between gingivitis and periodontitis. Gingivitis refers to gum inflammation and usually precedes periodontitis, which refers to gum disease. However, not all gingivitis progresses to periodontitis.

In the beginning stages of gingivitis, plaque buildup causes gums to become inflamed easily and a person may have bleeding gums when brushing the teeth. At the early stages, the gums may be irritated but the teeth will not come off their sockets. No tissue damage has usually occurred at this stage.

When gingivitis is not treated over an extended period, it can progress to periodontitis. At this stage, the inner layer of the gum and bone wear off and pull away from the tooth, leaving sockets. The small spaces between the gums and the tooth can become infected by bacteria and grow beyond the gumline.

As the body’s immune system fights the infections on the tooth, the bone and the connective tissue that hold the teeth in place break down in the process. As the condition progresses, the gum tissues further get destroyed, teeth becomes loss and eventually leaves the sockets, causing teeth loss.

How to Prevent Gum Diseases

To prevent gum disease, it is important to maintain good oral hygiene. You should brush and floss your teeth regularly, eat a healthy diet and visit your dentist at least twice a year. Below are some good hygiene tips:

Brush your teeth in the morning and before you go to bed. Clean the teeth, the sides of your mouth and the tongue using a fluoride toothpaste. Accumulated plaque in the mouth can lead to bad breathe and provides a good breeding ground for bacteria to grow.

Use a good toothbrush to clean your mouth. If you are lazy when brushing your teeth, look for an electric toothbrush with a rotating head. Preferably, get a brush that has many rotations per minute. Electric brushes remove plaque more effectively than manual toothbrushes. Look for a toothbrush that has been approved by the ADA.

Floss at least once a day. To floss correctly, slide the floss under the gumline and move it back and forth gently several times. Rinse your mouth after flossing.

Use an antiplaque mouthwash, a fluoride or an antiseptic mouthwash such as Listerine.

Once in a while, chew disclosing tablets to verify that you are brushing well. After brushing, chew the tablets to see any plaque left on the teeth. These chewable tablets are available at most dental clinics and retail stores.

If you have bleeding gums, following the above oral hygiene tips will help to reduce and eventually stop the bleeding. However, if you do not see any improvement of your gums within a few days, visit your dentist for a thorough checkup.

Zoom teeth whitening is cosmetic dentistry taken to the highest degree of expertise and professionalism. Many people seek cosmetic dentistry services to correct both visible and hidden concerns they have with their teeth, gums and mouth. Cosmetic dentistry can restore your mouth’s normal function, making adjustments for overbites or under bites and a whole host of alignment and functioning issues. It can also improve your appearance making your smile brighter and closer to picture perfect.

Cosmetic dentistry can correct many dental abnormalities that a person may experience. Missing teeth, stained teeth, crooked teeth, gapped teeth, crowded teeth and a smile with more gums than preferred can all be corrected with the services offered at Zoom teeth whitening. The concept of cosmetic dentistry is to give patients a smile that is close to society’s view of perfection. All treatments for these mouth issues are a part of the cosmetic dentistry industry. Each treatment ultimately leads to a more beautiful smile: dental implants, dental bridges, porcelain veneers, teeth whitening, braces, dental crowns, dental bonding and fillings.

Most procedures in cosmetic dentistry are easily executed, but some treatments require months to complete and may be followed by additional maintenance treatments. Stained teeth are generally cleaned at one appointment, but some stain removal may require more than one back-to-back cleaning. Most stains are caused by food and with cleaning can be restored to a whiter brighter shade. However, if teeth have been stained by long standing tartar, the cleaning will have to be very extensive and if stained by decay, fillings or worn enamel, the stain is more difficult to remove. Stains resulting from tetracycline, fluoride or broad spectrum antibiotics cannot be removed by cleaning and require dental bonding, veneers and/or crowns to cover the stained teeth and brighten the smile.

Smiles are also compromised by crooked, protruding or gapped teeth. These types of teeth often require braces to correct. Traditionally, only children wore braces, but today it’s common to see young and older adults wearing them. Everyone wants a beautiful smile and it’s never too late to obtain one. When a patient needs braces, they may have endured years of experiencing an improper bite as well as being embarrassed by their imperfect smile.

Accidents and decay cause people to lose teeth and generally it is one of the most unsightly conditions from which people can suffer. There is nothing less disconcerting than speaking with someone who smiles and disarms you with a smile sullied by a mouthful of missing teeth. The development of dentures helped many for decades, but dental bridges and implants are less conspicuous and require less maintenance. They can replace as few as one tooth or a full mouth of teeth to freshen a smile to make it one of the whitest and brightest.

Cosmetic dentistry has experienced many advancements over the years. It has gone from primarily using metal braces to realign teeth to using invisible plastic braces. It has developed more ways to whiten stained teeth and other unsightly tooth abnormalities. All the advancements in cosmetic dentistry have served to offer patients numerous ways to obtain a nearly perfect bright white smile.

Our teeth are one of our hardiest body parts with enamel, one of the hardest body tissues, covering them. They dependably reduce food particles to manageable size to help your body digest food and absorb its nutrients. However, even these tough teeth can be damaged and when they do, you’ll be sure to feel painful tooth aches.

Two of the common causes of tooth aches are bacterial growth and physical injuries.

Bacteria that live in dental plaques can cause various problems that we associate with tooth aches. Acid produced by these bacteria eat away at tougher layers of the teeth such as the enamel and the dentin until it reaches the pulp. The dental pulp is the soft core of the teeth which is rich in blood vessels and nerves.

The nerves help the pulp alert the body of the invading bacteria by producing painful tooth aches. When the bacteria manage to invade the pulp, it starts to form a swelling called abscess. Left untreated, the abscess can grow indefinitely and invade the bones that support the teeth.

The Causes Of Periodontitis

Bacteria may also attack the gums and the bones that help support the teeth. Gingivitis or gum inflammation happens when the gums are subjected to bacterial acids and toxins. If left untreated, gingivitis may develop into periodontitis where the gums and the bones supporting the teeth are starting to give way. Bacterial infection is still the primary cause of the disease although the body may also be partly to blame. It can produce harmful enzymes that also attack the very tissues that it is protecting. The gums and bone then recede due to periodontitis, producing spaces where dirt and bacteria can accumulate and further damage the teeth.

Physical injury, especially near the cheeks or the jaw, may also cause tooth aches. Sports injuries and accidents may produce chipping and tooth fractures. Constant eating of hard foods such as nuts and hard candies may wear down our teeth and create them as well. Chipping usually only affects the teeth’s enamel and may not reach the pulp.

However, it may look unsightly so it might be necessary for a dentist to restore the teeth’s shape to normal. On the other hand, tooth fractures may provide space for bacteria to invade the pulp so it would be prudent to seek dental help before bacterial infection sets in.

Even though tooth aches are undesirable, they help us identify the threats to our teeth. You can prevent tooth aches by simply addressing its causes.

Build-up of bacteria in our oral cavity can easily be avoided with proper oral hygiene such as regular brushing and flossing. Eating sugar or starch rich food in moderation will also lessen bacterial growth. Avoiding or lessening the intake of hard food will prevent your teeth from experiencing early wear and tear.

Following safety protocols in sports, school and work will also prevent tooth fractures from forming. More importantly, frequent visits to your dentist will ensure that your teeth will stay free not only from tooth aches and but other dental problems as well. With proper care and dental check-ups, you’ll be sure that your teeth will stay healthy and tooth ache free.

Choosing a cosmetic dentist can be somewhat challenging, especially when you do not have appropriate information. Primarily, cosmetic dentistry affects your entire well-being, and as a result, there are certain factors that you cannot afford to neglect. Getting the look you desire will depend on your careful consideration of the following important factors. Most of all, you need to ensure that you settle for a skilled cosmetic dentist who will make you comfortable throughout the process. Besides the procedure, a skilled cosmetic dentist will also give you appropriate advice on how to maintain the treatment. Here are some of the most important things to look for in a cosmetic dentist.

Experience and number of years

In order to avoid falling into wrong hands, you should choose a cosmetic dentist who has worked in the industry for several years. Due to their experience, such cosmetic dentists make comprehensive investigations and research on any new technology prior to using them on their patients. The number of years will be very important to inform you on whether the dentist is up to the task.

Referrals and testimonials

When choosing a cosmetic dentist, it is essential to look for the recent patients who can attest to the services of the dentist. You can get such information from various sources such as the dentist’s website and the social media pages. Referrals to the dentist’s recent clients will also help you get true testimonies about the dentist. A genuine dentist will divulge such information without hesitation or reservations.

Credibility and Professional honors

Evaluating the certificates and honors is crucial in determining the success of the dentist. Credible dentists hang their certificates on the walls of their office, which makes it easier for one spot their success. Therefore, you should ensure that the dentist has the relevant certificates clearly indicating their capabilities in performing cosmetic dentistry. Additionally, professional awards in dentistry results from hard work and intelligence, which is an added advantage when looking for a cosmetic dentist. The credibility of the dentist can be ascertained from dentistry bodies such as the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

Office arrangement

During your first visit, ensure that you check the nature of things in the environment. The machines used for the dental procedures, as well as, the professionalism at the reception staff is worth noting. Successful cosmetic dentists pay attention to various aspects of their profession to make their clients happy and satisfied.

The dentist services versus your needs

Firstly, you should find out whether the dentist can perform the kind of cosmetic procedure you want. Secondly, ensure that you know the costs involved and the period for completing the treatment. If you are working on a limited budget, inquire whether the dentist offers other treatment procedures that match your budget.

In summary, choosing a cosmetic dentist should not be a challenge when you consider the above major factors. Firstly, you should look for a cosmetic dentist with several years of experience in the industry. Secondly, get referrals from the dentist as well as testimonials from the dentist’s online pages. Thirdly, it is equally essential to look at the credibility and professional honors of the dentist. Finally, ensure that you check services against your needs.

One of the major challenges faced by professionals in the dental field is educating patients about the prevention and treatment of gum disease. There is a common misapprehension that dentistry revolves solely around the care of teeth. The fact of the matter is that keeping one’s gums healthy might actually be vastly more important. Think about it carefully. A building cannot possibly maintain its structure if the foundation is flaky. The same logic applies to teeth. Pearly whites need a strong foothold and healthy gums provide this structure and support.

Gum disease can be tricky to spot — for an untrained eye at least. The reason for this is that it can range from mild inflammation to serious soft tissue damage. No matter how inflamed the gums are, the disease needs to be treated immediately to prevent intense pain, bleeding and perhaps even tooth loss. As soon as any infection is discovered, proper mouth hygiene needs to be implemented. Brushing, flossing and rinsing with disinfectant mouthwash is of the utmost importance. In mild cases of infection, this will be enough to cure the disease. In more serious cases, the dentist may need to take a more intense course of action.

Essentially, gum disease is caused by the natural bacteria that lives in our mouths. Regular brushing and rinsing prevents this bacteria from building up plaque on the tooth enamel. If proper hygiene is not maintained, plaque build-up begins to take hold of the tooth creating a hard, yellowish layer on the surface of the teeth. This hardened layer cannot be removed by mere brushing, but a quick polish at the dentist’s office should do the trick. If the plaque is not removed it begins to cause cavities on the tooth and infects the gums as well. This infection is referred to as “gingivitis”.

If gingivitis remains untreated, it will lead to serious gum disease (also known as “periodontis”). Inflammation of the gums takes hold around the base of the tooth, causing the gums to pull away from the root and creating pocketed areas which are particularly susceptible to disease. Plaque may spread further down the tooth into the root. The bone begins to whittle away, making teeth very sensitive and prone to pain. The weakened bone structure, bleeding gums and general fragility of the mouth region might cause teeth to become loose; necessitating removal.

In order to treat gum disease, dentists may prescribe a range of different antibiotic treatments such as mouth rinses, topical gels or proper courses of oral medication. An antiseptic chip might be placed into the gum in an attempt to reduce the growth of bacteria. A deep cleaning method (referred to as “scaling and root planning”) which goes right down into the gum pockets may be employed in order to remove plaque further down the tooth. Some modifications in diet and personal habit (a reduction of caffeine or prevention of smoking) might also be suggested by the dentist. In cases of extreme infection, surgery may be necessary.